David Paterson
game trailer Editor
The Process
One of the more frequent requests I get from interested clients is for a breakdown of my production process. If you’re looking to out-source the trailer for your game, you want to know that the editor knows what they’re doing. So in the interest of ensuring a good fit I’ve decided to write up a brief overview of how I approach making a game trailer.
Of course, it’s not the exact same for every game but generally I use the following steps :
RESEARCH
Determine the genre(s) of the game and identify the most relevant titles in the market. Watch those trailers and gain an idea of audience expectations. Capture information from the client regarding their expectations and requirements.
Play
Play through the game. Get a firm grasp on the mechanics, game flow, art direction, narrative and other important features. Ideally it would be a full playthrough but that’s not always feasible or necessary depending on genre and game length.
Sketch
Create a bare bones structure for the trailer. Within the appropriate length; set out approximate timings for common aspects such as titles, end slates and figure out roughly how much footage is needed to fill in with gameplay. Make a rough map of what segments (gameplay, narrative...) are required and in what order.
Capture
Capture the specific footage needed for each segment. This is frequently the most time consuming step and is very different for each game. The availability of dev tools and photo modes can make a huge difference here.
Draft & iterate
Using all the ideas and footage, create a first draft. Gain feedback and implement changes until the client and I are satisfied. If complicated motion graphics are required, they will be included in this step. This is what most people think of when they think of an editor.
finalize
Implement basic motion graphics, final end slate and titles. Make final checks. Render final versions in required formats and provide final project files if necessary.
If you are a developer looking for any style of trailer - announcement, gameplay, cinematic, or launch - I’d love to help you show off your game. Press this button to get in touch!